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The article reports on a symposium sponsored by the Swedish Metal Workers' Federation that discussed a variety of topics on the general theme of industrial development over the coming decade. A crisis involving competition with Japanese wharfs was discussed. A report was presented on the ASTRA drug company's beta-blocking medication. Continuing vocational education was a further topic, as well as relative Nordic countries' unemployment.

The article presents information about socio-political developments in Scandinavian countries in 1981. The institution of a Swedish university branch for deaf people is described. Statistics are presented regarding the percentage of young unemployed people in Denmark. A brief discussion of retirement age policies in Norway is included.

The article discusses efforts to combat unemployment in the Nordic countries. Measures adopted include personal assistance in finding employment, employer subsidies for hiring, occupational training, and unpaid practicums. Expenditures for such efforts as a percentage of budget are presented for Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Worker resettlement expenditures by country are also presented.

The article discusses historical legislation in Sweden on social pension funds, beginning with a May 1959 general service pension law for all wage-earners. Pre-legislative political maneuvering and parliamentary debates about obligatory versus voluntary pensions along party lines are recounted. Initial funding sources are identified for the pension system introduced.

The article discusses a ruling by the Swedish Labor Court which held that chronic alcoholism was not grounds for termination of a work relationship. The judgment came in the case of two dismissed employees of the Volvo auto company. The company held that the workers' unexcused absenteeism disrupted production planning. The court judged that the law on job protection prohibited job dismissals on the grounds of illness.

The article discusses the wage agreement reached in Sweden in the fall of 1978 between the Union Central Headquarters and the employers' federation. In the context of an economic crisis. The deal offered small wage increases but retained controversial local wage supplements opposed by management. Research of the Sociological Institute of the University of Stockholm revealed that partly pensioned workers were happier with their work than their full-time worker counterparts and just as productive.

The article discusses social policy activity in Norway and Sweden in 1978. The director of the Union Central Headquarters, Tor Halvorsen, wrote in the periodical "Norges Induzstrie," Number 3, 1978, that the Union itself was not seeking company management representation on the basis of stock investments. The Norwegian unemployment level was reported at 1.3% despite open positions in the construction industry. Efforts at equal employment opportunity for women in Sweden were reported on.

The article discusses efforts in the Swedish school system to dispel the preconception that employment divides along gender lines. Swedish efforts are described to induce more males into caring careers like nursing and to open up more positions in the metal industries for women as welders, lathe operators, and planers. The author muses on full equality for women as priests or as seafarers, stevedores, or firemen.

This article discusses the elderly in Sweden and social programs which provide for their care. The author discusses retirement centers and the emotional aspects of elderly persons who prefer to live alone rather than in communal centers. The author also discusses handcrafts created by elderly persons which can provide them with tax-free income to supplement pensions.

This article discusses a consolidation of Swedish automakers Volvo and Saab-Scania which took place on May 6, 1977. It is noted that the newly created firm will be called VOLVOSCANIA-VABIS and is predicted to comprise 20 percent of Sweden's total exports. The author discusses the status of employees of these firms following consolidation and the effect this will have on stock trading.

This article discusses labor legislation which comes into effect on July 1, 1977 in Sweden which relates to work related injury claims. It is explained that this legislation considerably expands the meaning of occupational hazards to include heart attacks and stomach ulcers. The author notes that this law was established due to the increasing amount of benefit claims due to the consequences of poor work environments and increased work tempos.

This article presents information about the labor unions and economy of Sweden. The author discusses workplace absences and notes that younger employees stay home sick from work more often, but for a shorter duration of time, than older workers. The author also discusses labor productivity and the effect of decreased hours of labor on employee absenteeism. Furthermore, information is presented about the labor market in Sweden.

This article discusses pensions in Sweden. The author notes that as of July 1, 1976, persons who reach the age of 60 are eligible to receive part of their pension benefits from the government and reduce their hours of labor to half. The author discusses the Swedish company Motala Verkstad and its skepticism regarding the quality of work performed by these employees.

This article discusses social policy in Sweden and a book distributed by the government to help people better understand the laws. It is noted that this book was distributed for free to all households in Sweden. The author also explains that by helping people better understand their rights, this will alleviate the number of cases brought to social courts.

This article discusses a law which requires unemployed persons in Sweden to apply for open positions. The reasoning behind this regulation is due to the fact that there are many positions which go unfilled in combination with a large number of unemployed people. The author notes that many employers are opposed to this law and that exceptions are made for small businesses.

The article discusses a report by physicians in Kumla and neighboring Örebro, Sweden of a case of asbestosis in an incarcerated Finnish burglar who had participated in the demolition of some 100 safes. The question arose over insurance liability for the worker's illness, specifically entitlement to a disability pension for work incapacity. A similar insurance liability case is described surrounding an inmate injured while attempting escape from his incarceration facility.

The article discusses Swedish labor and management negotiations over lowering the retirement age from 65 to 63. A parliamentary commission issued a recommendation for the legislative implementation of the change by 1976. Another parliamentary proposal would significantly raise retirees' pension benefits at the start of 1975 with subsequent annual increases through 1980.

The article reports on an August 1973 congress in Stockholm, Sweden of the Metalworkers Association. That labor union took up a proposal that would permit workers as of age 60 to specify the duration of their work week and to receive retirement pay for the hours not worked. The idea behind the proposal was to provide a "softer" transition to full retirement for the worker and avoid the psychological shock that frequently attends a sudden, complete retirement.

The article discusses a suggestion made by Arne Geijer, the director of the Swedish Labor Union Headquarters, that the government invest some of the surplus pension fund monies in stocks. The headquarters of officials' and employees organizations and the academics' union voiced no objections. Finance minister Gunnar Sträng warned of the inflationary risk of the stock purchase.

The article presents information about a clothing industry congress held in Stockholm, Sweden in 1981. Topics of discussion at the conference included the low employment rates in the Swedish clothing and textile industry, the country's inability to produce its previous quota of national textile goods, and Swedish government expenditures in support of the clothing industry. The response of Swedish social democratic politician Olaf Palme to the situation of the clothing industry is also noted.

The article presents information about the health problems associated with vibrations experienced by automobile workers in Härnösand, Sweden. It is reported that every second automobile manufacturing worker had health problems, including some of such significance that their doctors advised them to switch careers. The health problems are described as pain and numbness in workers' hands, arms, and armpits.

The article discusses increasing numbers of steel and metal workers in Sweden who receive monthly wages, although a decade earlier none of them did. The Swedish factory union sought systematic reform and rationalization of office work. Marketplace difficulties led to the severe reduction in overtime hours after May 1980. Part-time workers were said to make up 4% of the male and 36% of the female Swedish workforce.

The article discusses supplemental wage and relief measures employed by the Swedish government and municipalities to deal with an economic crisis in a number of industrial firms and to reduce unemployment. Statistics are presented showing the annual growth of direct supplemental payments from 1972-1979. Also presented are Danish survey results on a labor union payroll proposal.

The article discusses the work of a Swedish state commission on the complete equal treatment of women. The commission reported some 330,000 women seeking employment and a desired doubling of day care centers. Other women's demands include shortened hours of work. Swedish radio reported that 90% of women want work outside the home, citing the boredom and uniformity of the daytime hours when children are off at school and husbands at work.

The article discusses the emigration since 1954 of some 400,000 or 6% of Finns to Sweden in search of employment. Sweden offers up to 30% higher wages than are to be had in Finland and a correspondingly higher standard of living supplemented by social benefits. Paradoxically, the emigration of this so-called "lost generation" has led to even higher unemployment in Finland.

The article discusses a proposal to combat the unemployment of youth by the head of the Swedish Employers' Federation, Curt Nicolin, who suggests employers' lowering of wages for young workers and unions' funding of young people's vocational education. Also reported is alcohol abuse rising at a rate leading to double consumption within a decade. Alcohol rationing cards and higher alcohol prices are proposed as correctives.

The article discusses significant immigration of Finns to Sweden in search of employment, higher pay than available in the homeland, and a better general existence. The open labor market in the Nordic countries make such labor mobility possible. Alf Johansson, Chief Inspector of the Manpower Ministry, expressed worries over the potential demise of culture in the Swedish-Finnish southern sector of Finland owing to particular emigration from that Swedish-speaking area.

The article reports on a crisis of the pharmaceutical control agency of Sweden's Social Administrative Board. The institute in Uppsala, Sweden responsible for drug control and approval was reportedly short of personnel and money needed to carry out its mission. Details of the workload, duties, and budget of the drug control institute are provided.

The article discusses a multi-year research study undertaken by industrial safety personnel in a large Swedish metal company on the rate of uterine cancer in metal workers' wives. The incidence of such cancer was found to be 40 times normal. Suggested causes of the high cancer rate included high chromium and other carcinogens in industrial cooling liquids, in turn transferred to wives through workers' clothing, poor hygiene, or sleeping contact.

The article discusses several reforms enacted in Sweden during 1979. One law permitted parents of children under eight years old to reduce their workday to six hours. Youths under 18 received aid from local school officials in finding work or occupational education. Subsidies were also allocated for employees' continuing education and those transferred to new locations.

The article discusses social policy activity in Scandinavia. A survey by the Observa Institut in Denmark established that only 13% of respondents, mostly non-employed students, held economic democracy to be more important than higher wage demands. Several Danish communities refused to cooperate with social statistical requests from the social ministry. Lung exams were carried out on workers in Malmö, Sweden's erstwhile fiber-concrete board manufacturers.

The article discusses a Swedish form of insurance introduced in July 1978 that offers consumer protection against damages suffered as a result of medications. All 160 pharmaceutical manufacturers are enrolled in the coverage. The insurance applies even in cases in which the patient fails to observe dosage instructions or when medicine is taken that was intended for for someone else. Liability restrictions are also reviewed.

The article discusses free labor market problems in the Nordic countries. Finland has a reported unemployment rate of 9%, a particularly severe problem among youth. Although Swedish young people also experience high unemployment, the Finns believe their neighbors' prospects are better and so are traveling to Sweden in search of work, often fruitlessly, often becoming vagabonds and narcotics victims. Labor market officials in both countries are seeking solutions.

The article discusses the medical practice in Sweden that for eight years required those people sick at home to forgo home treatment by a physician and to seek medical assistance in a hospital or clinic, according to Dr. Björn Lidén in the publication "Läkartidningen" of September 1978. Lidén finds it odd that pets but not people can receive at-home physician care in the country with the highest living standard.

The article discusses a February 1978 proposal issued by the Swedish Labor Union and its affiliated social democratic party for the establishment of a public wage fund described as extremely complex and watered-down from the defeated 1976 version. Given parliamentary elections scheduled for 1979, the measure was viewed as an election ploy. The focus of the proposal is employee stock ownership and asset-building.

The article discusses the high youth unemployment rate in Sweden, despite vocational education schools and courses, youth's willingness to work, and social income supplements. The solution to the problem is suggested by employers to be the loosening of youth labor protections, especially in the regulation of employee dismissals. Also recommended is a lengthening of the probationary period for young hires.

The article discusses the introduction of a nighttime day care center in the northern Swedish city of Lulea in the spring of 1977. The establishment opened primarily in response to the interests of the increasing number of mothers working night shifts or what is labeled "inconvenient hours," especially typical for those in nursing and certain educational work.

The article presents information about a Swedish legislative proposal to group all social legislation under the umbrella term of "social help legislation." The potential implications of this legislative change for Swedish health insurance are discussed. Note is taken of various responses to the proposal, including conflicts over the compulsory rehabilitation of people struggling with drugs or alcohol.

This article discusses the findings of an investigation by the central bureau of statistics in Sweden regarding gross versus net income levels among workers. The report concludes that those who increase their gross earnings tend to receive a reduced percentage of net wages. The report shows that a higher degree of work input provides a household with very little economic gain.

This article discusses women in Sweden and their preference for construction work over nursing jobs. The author notes that it is typical for nursing positions to be held by women, but explains that improvements in the equality of women have given many women the opportunity to work in the construction industry. The author discusses the results of a survey which revealed that nursing positions actually require more body strength than many construction jobs do.

This article discusses the dangers that asbestos poses to industrial workers. The author explains that workers who have been exposed to asbestos in Sweden are entitled to a basic health inspection which is financed by the government. It is noted that the government will cover the cost of 25,000 examinations. Information is presented about the health consequences of asbestos exposure.

This article discusses economic conditions in Sweden. The author notes that Swedish industrial exports have declined sharply and that unemployment levels are high. The Swedish government has agreed upon measures to reduce unemployment, which include granting leaves of absences for employees who wish to participate in occupational training programs. The author discusses unemployment benefits provided by the Swedish government.

This article discusses employee morale among workers in the Kiruna ore mine in northern Sweden. It is noted that a sharp decline in business caused the society of miners to borrow money so that they could remain operative. The manager of the society, Carl Leijonhufvud, stated that the collective bargaining agreement puts limitations on the hours of labor which will negatively effect industry productivity.

This article discusses a labor law in Sweden regarding employee participation in management. The author discusses a comprehensive trade-union educational program, which the author notes was discussed in a newspaper of the metal-workers union of Sweden. This program also promotes the participation of union members in occupational training programs.

This article discusses changes to Swedish labor laws and legislation. The author discusses employer support for the education of employees and political activity in the workplace. The author includes a quotation from a large social democratic Swedish daily newspaper called "Arbetet" regarding the dissemination of political information, including propaganda, in the workplace.

This article discusses handicapped persons in the workforce in Sweden. It is noted that there are approximately 800,000 total handicapped persons between the ages of 15 and 75, and the author discusses how many are severely and moderately handicapped. The author discusses the legal rights of disabled persons regarding employment, including handicapped accessibility in the workplace and rehabilitation support.

This article discusses immigrants in Sweden. The author explains that a fact-finding committee has come up with provisions for improving the quality of life for immigrants in Sweden. The author discusses issues such as the cultural assimilation of immigrants into Swedish society and the preservation of cultural heritage. The author also discusses voting rights and pension schemes for immigrants who live and work more than two years in Sweden.

This article discusses an investigation committee which gathered data to determine the pros and cons of nationalizing the pharmaceutical market in Denmark. The author provides details contained in the report published by this committee, which includes a comparison of the pharmaceutical markets in Sweden, Norway and Great Britain. The report offers suggestions for improving the services offered in pharmacies in Denmark.

This article discusses limitations on the cost for multiple visits to the doctor in Sweden. It is noted that the limitations were established in accordance with readjustments to doctor's fees in Gävleborg, Sweden. The author explains that medical appointments are free to patients in Gävleborg beyond 5 paid visits to private doctors or 8 paid visits to public nursing facilities in a year.

This article discusses insurance coverage for work-related injuries and illnesses in Sweden. The author explains that employees are entitled to coverage for accidents which happen at work or traveling to or from work and work-related illnesses lasting more than 90 days. The coverage also allows for compensation of lost income and medical expenses when an illness lasts more than 31 days. The author also adds that coverage is available for hearing aids, prosthetic limbs, eyeglasses, and dentures.